Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner wants to create 'right-to-work zones' in Illinois. Kentucky recently began a similar experiment to allow workers to opt-out of union dues, and could offer some clues as to what to expect in Illinois.

If you've read the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, you know it's a story that centers largely on issues of race and justice. Those are themes that continue to resonate today. So, when Champaign's Central High School decided to stage a performance of Harper Lee's novel, they added a modern twist. This weekend, students will perform two versions of the play; one with a traditional cast, the other with the races of the major characters reversed.

Rauner began his first budget negotiations with a call for deep spending cuts to Medicaid, pensions and other programs to fix the state’s budget mess without raising taxes. In a preview of what's likely to come, Democrats and Republicans sparred over many details and the need for tax hikes to fill the budget hole.

Gov. Bruce Rauner says his budget is a responsible path after years of "financial recklessness.'' Deep cuts include those to Medicaid and higher education. A University of Illinois official says all three campuses must find ways to save money and that "everything is on the table."

A WBEZ investigation found that over a three year span, there were 344 instances when kids spent a week or more in the Cook County juvenile jail waiting for the Department of Children and Family Services to find them a place to live.